Israel prepares for Gaza pullout

Late Friday, an Israeli helicopter gunship carried out two raids on Gaza City's Zeitoun neighborhood, targeting two metal workshops in the area, sources on both sides said.

In the first raid, the helicopter fired two missiles, then returned after several minutes, firing another eight rockets at a second target in the area, completely destroying both of them, an AFP correspondent said.

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Medical sources said four people were slightly injured in the raids.

An army spokesman confirmed the strikes, saying the raids had targetted two workshops which were used to produce Qassam rockets.

Earlier on Friday, Palestinian militants fired a home-made Qassam rocket at the southern Israeli town of Sderot, damaging one house and causing one person to be treated for shock.

Meanwhile, the Maariv daily reported that Israel is to carefully screen some 2,000 soldiers to coordinate the planned Gaza withdrawal in a bid to exclude any who might refuse to obey the evacuation order for ideological reasons.

The unit, to be commanded by General Yossi Turdjman, will operate jointly with police forces.

Settlers who are ready to leave ahead of the official four-phased withdrawal will qualify for early compensation within 10 days, the paper said, adding that the first settlement should be evacuated voluntarily next month.

Last week, the Israeli cabinet approved Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to dismantle all 21 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and another four in the West Bank.

In another move, the defence ministry invited tenders to study the feasibility of building a massive trench along the border between the southern Gaza Strip and Egypt.

The 25-meter (82-foot) deep trench, to be equipped with electronic devices, will initially stretch some four kilometers (2.5 miles) between the flashpoint Gaza town of Rafah and Egypt.

Meanwhile, in Cairo, Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qorei met Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to discuss the security situation after the Israeli withdrawal.

Neither Qorei nor Mubarak made any comment to reporters after the 30-minute meeting at the Egyptian leader's private residence.